ANZACS FOR THE DARDANELLES.

Free Lance, Volume XVIII, Issue 957, 14 November 1918, Page 8

ANZACS FOR THE DARDANELLES.

An 111-Advised Proposal.

"jl/jTR. Massey is, as a rule, tlie most level-headed of men, but hia very natural elation over the collapseof our enemies .seems to have carried him away for once and was responsible for our worthy Prime Minister makingr what we cannot help considering a very ill-advised proposal. Mr. Massey wantsto see the Dardanelles forts garrisoned by Anzacs as a special and very fitting; compliment to the heroes of the Ga£ 11 poll campaign, and he rushed away a request to- this effect to the Imperial' authorities. We question very much; whether the scheme will be favourably viewed by the Anzacs themselves. The very name, Dardanelles, has so many an< r .Pathetic memories for sucl* ° -xi Anzacs as still remain with the New Zealand Division in £ ranee that the veterans would not beve ?y anxious to renew acquaintancewith the place.

Again we think it is a pity that the irrime Minister seemed to assume, in his note to the Governor-General for transmission to London,that the Australasians were the only troops who covered themselves with imperishable honour and glory on the bare hill sides or rocky beaches of Gallipoli. That our 4? e x splendidly, nay heroically, that they suffered with superb patience terrible privations, we all know full well, but there were others at Gal"esides the Anzacs. The story of the Twenty-Ninth Division and its crallant deeds are set forth in more than one book on the Gallipoli campaign, .and no one can be keener in appreciation and more enthusiastic in eulogy of the Twenty-Ninth than are the Anzacs. Mr. Massey's note echoed an old a of which the origirial Anzacs are themselves never guilty namely, of assuming that tjie Austral' a-sians were alone in exhibiting gallantry on Gallipoli. We can assure Mr Massey that the "Alone We Did It style of thing is by no means likely to be applauded by the Anzacs. Mr. Massey undoubtedly meant well, but the proposal was a mistake.